his stomach; it is known by its largeness and place, lying from the
gills to the small guts; take it out very tenderly, if you bruise it,
your labour and design are lost; and with a sharp knife cut it open
without bruising, and then you may find his food in it, and thereby
discover what bait the fish at that instant takes best, either flies
or ground-baits, and so suit them accordingly.
13. Fish are frightened with any the least sight or motion, therefore
by all means keep out of sight, either by sheltering yourself behind
some bush or tree, or by standing so far off the river’s side, that
you can see nothing but your fly or float; to effect this, a long rod
at ground, and a long line with the artificial fly, may be of use to
you. And here I meet with two different opinions and practises, some
will always cast their fly and bait up the water, and so they say
nothing occurs to the fish’s sight but the line; others fish down the
river, and so suppose, the rod and line being long, the quantity of
water takes away, or at least lessens the fish’s sight; but others
affirm, that rod and line, and perhaps yourself, are seen also. In
this difference of opinions I shall only say, in small brooks you
may angle upwards, or else in great rivers you must wade, as I have
known some, who thereby got the sciatica, and I would not wish you to
purchase pleasure at so dear a rate; besides, casting up the river you
cannot keep your line out of the water, which has been noted for a
fault before; and they that use this way confess, that if in casting
your fly, the line fall into the water before it, the fly were better
uncast, because it frightens the fish; then certainly it must do it
this way, whether the fly fall first or not, the line must first come
to the fish, or fall on him, which undoubtedly will frighten him:
my opinion is, therefore, that you angle down the river, for the
other way you traverse twice so much, and beat not so much ground as
downwards.
14. Keep the sun, and moon, if night, before you, if your eyes will
endure, which I much question, at least be sure to have those planets
on your side, for if they be on your back, your rod will with its
shadow offend much, and the fish see further and clearer, when they
look towards those lights, than the contrary; as you may experiment
thus in a dark night, if a man come betwixt you and any light, you see
him clearly, but not at all if the light come betwixt you and him.
15. When you angle for the Trout, you need not make above three or four
trials in one place, either with fly or ground-bait, for he will then
either take it, or make an offer, or not stir at all, and so you lose
time to stay there any longer.
[Illustration: PEARCH]
PEARCH bites exceedingly well at all sorts of earth-worms, especially
lob-worms, brandlings, bobs, oak-worms, gentles, cad-bait, wasps,
dores, minnows, colwort-worm, and often at almost any bait, save the
fly.
He bites well all day long in seasonable weather, but chiefly from
eight in the morning till after ten, and from a little before three in
the afternoon till almost five.
[Illustration: CHUB]
16. A CHEVIN loves to have several flies, and of divers sorts, on the
hook at once, and several baits also at once on the hook, as a wasp and
colwort-worm, or an old wasp, and young dore, or humble, when his wings
and legs are grown forth, or a fly and cad-worm, or oak-worm.
17. Take for a Trout, two lob-worms well scoured, cut them into two
equal halves, put them on your hook; this is an excellent bait.
In a muddy water, a Trout will not take a cad-bait, you must therefore
only use it in clear water.
If you desire to angle in a very swift stream, and have your bait rest
in one place, and yet not over burthen your line with lead; take a
small pistol bullet, make a hole through it, wider at each side than
the middle, yet so open in every place, as that the line may easily
pass through it without any stop; place a very small piece of lead on
your line, that may keep this bullet from falling nearer the hook than
that piece of lead, and if your float be made large enough to bear
above water, against the force of the stream, the fish will, when they
bite, run away with the bait as securely, as if there were no more
weight upon your line, than the little piece of lead, because the hole
in the bullet gives passage to the line, as if it were not there.
18. When cattle in Summer come into the fords, their dung draws the
fish to the lower end of the ford; at such time angle for a Chevin,
with baits fit for him, and you will have sport.
19. Before you set your hook to your line, arm the line by turning the
silk five or six times about the link, and so with the same silk set
on your hook; this preserves your lines, that your hook cut it not
asunder, and also that it will not, when using the cast fly, snap off
so easily, which it is very subject to do.
20. In very wet seasons Trouts leave the rivers and larger brooks, and
retreat into such little brooks as scarce run at all in dry Summers.
21. To all sorts of pastes, add flax, cotton, or wool, to keep the
paste from falling off your hook.
22. Deny not part of what your endeavours shall purchase unto any sick
or indigent persons, but willingly distribute a part of your purchase
to those who may desire a share.
23. Make not a profession of any recreation, lest your immoderate love
towards it should bring a cross wish on the same.
[Illustration]
J. Johnson, Printer, Brook Street, Holborn, London.
Transcriber’s Notes
Page 10—changed were to where — where the fish lie in wait for them
Page 14—changed then run the the same round your fly — then run the
same round your fly.
Page 16—changed artifical to artificial.
Page 20—changed fall to falls, twice; — that your fly falls first — if
the line falls first
Page 23— changed get to gets — and close his mouth so no water gets in.